Results come with consistency and so does strength and speed.
Sport specific training and early sport specialization has emerged as the appealing choice for competition and training over the past decade to parents and youth athletes and doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
How do we find a common space to be in that allows athletes to stay healthy and not over trained?
Let's start with what is Early Sport Specialization and it's known impacts.
Early sport specialization refers to the practice of focusing on a single sport at a young age, often starting in childhood or early adolescence, and dedicating a significant amount of time and energy to training, competitions, and skill development in that specific sport. Rather than participating in a variety of sports, young athletes who specialize early commit themselves to one sport, often with the goal of achieving elite status or pursuing a professional career or at the least a college scholarship in that particular sport.
Proponents of early sport specialization argue that it allows young athletes to gain a competitive edge by starting early and accumulating more practice hours in their chosen sport. They believe that early specialization can lead to superior skill development, increased opportunities for college scholarships, and a higher chance of professional success. This would also be assumed on the 10,000 hour rule. Research showed that spending an average of 10,000 hours on a skill makes you become more proficient than your peers, making you a specialist.
Unfortunately, we do not find this to be true because of several factors including the quality of those hours spent and who's leading them. You can spend 1,000's of hours on a skill only to learn that they will not transfer unless they are meaningful and with a purpose.
Have intention when training.
Strength training positively influences endurance. While soccer is known for its intermittent nature, where players experience periods of both high and low-intensity activities, overall endurance remains a vital component. Strength training improves an athlete’s cardiovascular fitness and stamina, enabling them to sustain optimal performance throughout the duration of a match. This endurance factor can be a differentiator, especially in closely contested games where maintaining peak performance until the final whistle is crucial.
This goes for any sport.
Start with the basics and work your way into a more progressive exercise. For example, if you have little strength training background you'd want to start with bodyweight exercises then adding a little additional resistance using dumbbells etc.
Also, Integrating exercises that mirror the dynamic nature of the sport ensures that the strength gained in the gym seamlessly transfers to the field. This specificity in training is key for soccer players who want their physical prowess to directly impact their game performance.
Choose your exercises and spend your time wisely. Working out doesn't consist of spending hours in the gym every week.
The most effective way to build strength and endurance is through micro dosing them by short workouts, this way your body can recover faster.
No Pain, No Gain.
Not true.
If you're in season right now and you want to start building strength, you don't have to wait until the offseason.
Actually, the time is now. No better time than learning and implementing strength training. This will help you prolong your time in your sport by increasing your fitness through proper conditioning.
Not a local athlete, try using our Flagship App Download for Free.
Remember it doesn't have to be hard, and you don't have to be gasping for air to feel like you had a good workout.
Being #groundforcestrong also means training with a purpose.
Become a Ground Force athlete and train with the areas leading trainers by sending us a email or message at info.groundforcestrength@gmail.com
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